Downtown Syosset was decorated like a winter wonderland, but it sure didn't feel like December at the chamber of commerce's second-annual holiday lighting ceremony on Sunday, December 5.

Temperatures climbed as high as 60 degrees during the late-afternoon festivities, enticing about 500 local residents to emerge from their homes and convene at celebration headquarters - the Astoria Federal Savings Bank on Jackson Avenue.

This year's Chamber ceremony, called "Homegrown Holiday '99," had a hometown spin to it, as organizers booked mainly local residents to perform in the entertainment portion of the program.

Chamber President Frank S. Urso, addressing the crowd from a town-rented "Showmobile," said, "We're calling it a homegrown program because we're trying to feature homegrown talent. We have a lot of talent in our school system and we want to showcase this tonight."

Perhaps nothing was more spectacular than the crowd-pleasing dance performance by the girls from Martha Merideth's Dance Theatre Eclectic in Syosset. The troupe's first number, a graceful ballet set to Carol of the Bells, featured Rachel Abrahams, Ariana DiLorenzo, Maria Incalcaterra, Stephanie Quick, Nicole Surico and Rebecca Thaler. The number was choreographed by Martha Merideth and Kathleen Moore.

Later in the ceremonies, additional dance troupe members performed to Hip Hop Sleigh Ride and the hit Broadway tune One, from A Chorus Line.

The Syosset High School Jazz Band actually kicked off the program with a few holiday tunes, followed by the harmonious Adelettes from Syosset High School, a female barber shop group which presented mellifluous renditions of such carols as Let it Snow! and White Christmas.

There were also several solo and duo vocalist acts throughout the program. Rachel Leventhal and Jaymie Zurlo crooned the Jewish melody Bashana Habah-A. Christina Tamdjidi performed Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. Seth Nadler belted the operatic Ave Maria, and Cynthia Trainor sang the amusing I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.

Robyn Brausa and Stacey Daniel followed with Sleigh Ride. Jeff Stern delighted the crowd with It's the Most Wonderful Time, and Holly Roselle sang the classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Melissa Sanfilippo then performed the Nat King Cole standard, The Christmas Song.

The entertainment merely set the stage for the evening's main event. All eyes soon turned to both the 30-foot Christmas tree, adorned with brightly-colored bulbs and a red bow on its apex, and the eight-foot blue and gold menorah, which already had two candles lit to mark the first two nights of Chanukah that had already passed.

After a blessing by Cantor Renée Coleson, Legislator Judy Jacobs, founder of the Syosset Chamber of Commerce, officially lit the menorah. Earlier in the ceremony, Jacobs praised the chamber, which only formed in October 1998, for organizing all the festivities. "Let's give a round of applause to the brand-new Syosset Chamber of Commerce!" said the legislator. "Look at what they have done!"

Next up was the tree, which after an enthusiastic countdown, was illuminated by Chamber Vice President Jack Biondo and his father Mike, who owns the bank property. The tree and creche were blessed by Father Felix Weerasinghe.

Local officials who attended the ceremonies included State Senator Carl Marcellino, State Assemblyman David Sidikman, Town Supervisor John Venditto, Town Councilwoman-elect Bonnie Eisler, Town Councilman-elect Anthony Macagnone, Town Clerk-elect Martha Offerman and Receiver of Taxes-elect James Stefanich.

But the most special visitor of the night, of course, was a jolly, round-bellied man, clad in red and white, who traveled to Syosset all the way from the North Pole.

Santa himself, riding atop a firetruck provided by the Syosset Fire Department, waved to excited young children as he made his way down Jackson Avenue. When the firetruck stopped, Santa climbed down from the vehicle and tossed bags of treats into the crowd.